Politics
DELTA 2023: Okowa, Ibori Face Up On Successor
Published
4 years agoon
By
Editor
Political gladiators and power brokers in Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Delta State, especially those from Delta Central senatorial district under the control of an eminent party juggernaut, took too lightly the capacity and authority of incumbent Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, in their covert scheming for his successor in 2023, which has turned up to be a serious political miscalculation.
By last year (2021), the assemblage had selected its choice of Okowa’s successor, a former Commissioner of Urhobo extraction, his deputy, also an ex-Commissioner of Delta North origin, both members of the State Executive Council at the time. Several meetings had also been held in Lagos and other places to the effect with the famous party leader, who is a godfather with the governor put in the dark.
It was actually the effrontery that made Governor Okowa to dissolve his cabinet, May, last year, and he admitted that much when he told newsmen that there were distractions with two years to go then.
Dissolution of the state executive council, which affected all the serving commissioners and officials scrambling for governor while still in office, sent a very strong message to all the 2023 indigenous vestibule groups, including Delta Central 2023, DC-23, led by Deputy National Organizing Secretary, PDP, Chief Ighoyota Amori and Ijaw for 2023 Governor Lobby Group, steered by former Minister of Police Affairs, Alaowei Broderick Bozimo, on the governor’s unpreparedness to let power merchants dictate to him.
By now, it is apparent to the contending lobby groups and their promoters that they can make recommendations to the governor, but not foist their choice on him.
Ijaw Parade
Currently, Ijaw ethnic group in Delta South senatorial district is strutting Senator James Manager representing the district in the Senate; Deputy Governor of the state, Deacon Kingsley Otuaro and a former commissioner, Braduce Angozi. Otuaro, lawyer and conflict management expert believes that God has anointed him to take over from his boss, while Senator Manager, also a lawyer, is counting on on his old ties with the governor.
READ ALSO: Delta 2023: Omo-Agege Accused Of Promoting Ethnic Disunity In Warri, Delta
At the 90th Anniversary of the apex Urhobo socio-cultural group, Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, December, last year, Governor Okowa, charged the umbrella body to help prune down the number of governorship aspirants from Delta Central senatorial district.
Saturday Vanguard learned on good authority that the Bozimo –led group and others were working on the directive to reduce number of their aspirants, and even traditional rulers in the state are expected to submit their list of favored governorship aspirants to the governor.
DC-23 trims 12 to 5
Amori-led DC-23 had already cropped the list of Urhobo governorship aspirants from 12 to five and expected to submit names of top three aspirants to the governor in February. Those who made the list of five are former Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Senator Emmanuel Aguarivwodo, former Commissioner for Works affected in the cabinet dissolution, Chief James Augoye, former Commissioner and Chief of Staff also affected in the cabinet dissolution, Olorogun David Edevbie, former Minister of State for Education Delta’s biggest private investor, Chief Kenneth Gbagi and Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Sheriff Oborevwori.
Receiving the interim report of the group’s screening committee headed by Prof Nyerhovwo Tonukari, last month, Chief Amori gave up to the ending of this month (January) to further shrink the number of five aspirants to three and submit its final report.
Olorogun Gbagi, the oldest PDP member among all the governorship aspirants in the state was the first to indicate interest in 2019 for 2023 governorship and has covered a lot of grounds. On the other hand, Rt. Hon. Oborevwori, who finally succumbed to pressures from strong politicians and friends across the state, ruminates that Delta will be in safe hands under his leadership. Olorogun Edevbie also thinks he is good enough to take over from Okowa, but Senator Aguariavwodo maintains that he knows exactly how to fix the state.
However, Urhobo PDP governorship aspirants who did not pass DC-23 first screening were Chief Fred Majemite, Hon Ejaife Odebala, Hon Efe Ofobruku, Chief Kenneth Okpara, now late, Chief Bright Edejeghwro, Hon. Festus Ovie Agas, Chief Abel Esievo and Chief Sunday Oruarefe.
Some of the vetoed aspirants, including Majemite and Ofobruku, were quick to disclaim the DC-23 screening. Only Odebala, a former lawmaker and chairman of Sapele local government area, appears to have let go. Chief Okpara died last month or so. It is uncertain if Hon Agas, former Secretary to the State Government, SSG, now Chief of Staff to Governor Okowa, attended the DC-23 screening in the first instance.
Either by omission or commission, DC-23 conveyed an impression that the group would most conceivably determine Urhobo consensus candidate, but then again, the governor soon shattered the illusions when he practically cut the cluster to size with the group currently subjecting itself to his instructions.
Except for some uncommon disapproval here and there, the political class in Delta North PDP and Delta South leaders and stakeholders are waiting for the governor to give directives on 2023 for them to follow.
Maneuverings
But that is not to say that there is no resistance to the seeming move of the governor. A former commissioner in the state, Dr. Tony Nwaka, who made in-explicit allusion on the governor’s style faced opposition and was slammed with a suspension by his local PDP chapter although the suspension reportedly lacked due process.
Nevertheless, Bozimo, who leads the Ijaw lobby group and Amori, DC-23, had lately clarified that they were not opposed to the governor’s influence. Bozimo’s son, Isaiah Bozimo Esq is presently the Commissioner for Justice under Okowa, He was appointed after his predecessor, Peter Mrakpor, also eyeing the governorship seat was fired, last year.
Amori from Mosogar, Ethiope West local government area, is warming up for Delta Central senatorial seat which he won at a time but later lost through the court to Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, of All Progressives Congress, APC, who defeated him in the court. At the moment, a former Commissioner and Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Chief John Nani, from neighboring Idjerhe (Jesse), a sounding board of the governor, has also declared interest for the same position.
To those who understand the intrigues, it is either Amori subsumes whatever arrangement he has with others regarding palming off a governorship candidate under the canopy DC-23 or forfeit his senatorial ambition all over again.
Okowa meets Ibori
Thought-provoking, however, is the information corroborated by multiple sources that Governor Okowa had met with former governor, Chief James Ibori, to discuss the issue of his successor in 2023.
Saturday Vanguard learned that Ibori pointed out his favorite candidate (name withheld) to Okowa, but the governor opposed his choice and voiced his first choice (name also withheld) based on competence. Both men differed but mutually agreed that they would settle score at the primaries if there was no meeting point before then.
Governor Okowa has not made any public pronouncement on either his meeting with Ibori or choice for 2023, but discerning politicians already know. For now, he has continued his consolidation on power by inviting some PDP leaders in government to weigh up some developments ahead 2023.
“Before long, the governor, as he promised, last year, will convene a meeting of PDP leaders across the state to examine the issue of the party’s 2023 governorship ticket and possibility of getting a consensus candidate,” a PDP leader told this paper.
“He is already consulting with other party leaders on the way forward. You know he made it clear last time that only God can determine his successor. But as a human being and even as governor, you can only play your role, it is God that has the final say,” the party leader added.
But it is open secret that the governor has enormous power over the party’s delegates if indirect primaries method is to be used to determine his successor, and so Ibori, a political tactician is most probable to go back over his position.
Counter offensive
A group of politicians marveled at how the governor has ingeniously weaved his way and became very powerful were cautiously meeting on how to checkmate him, but the problem is that Okowa seems to be many steps ahead of them.
“As a grassroots politician with wide contacts, he not only knows and anticipates their plan, he foils their intentions before they execute it and they are befuddled,” a source hinted.
With the power struggle still one, more people have come to realization there is a political proclivity in the party that the governor would not want to surrender power to because they will loot the state dry, and they are now willing to tackle the forces.
According to our source: “Some people want Okowa to leave the forces to have their way or close his eyes and allow whoever the system throws up to succeed him, but the governor thinking about the future of the state knows that the greatest disservice he will render to the state is to stay aloof and allow plunderers to take over the state.”
“Some claim that Okowa outsmarted them, the truth is that Okowa did not outsmart anybody, he is only being sincere and truthful on the realities on ground. And it is his sincerity that has endeared him to Deltans,” he added.
READ ALSO: Delta 2023: Ijaw Clamour To Produce Gov Not Out Of Place – Uduaghan
Gbagi dares Ibori
However, at a New Year get together with members of the Gbagi Solidarity Movement, GSM, Gbagi, who knew that Ibori had a different candidate, boasted that Ibori had endorsed him and challenged him say otherwise.
His words: “I visited the former governor, two of us had a discussion and he said, ‘Olorogun Gbagi, I came back to the country and everywhere I go in the state, I hear Gbagi. I do not know anybody who can be governor in the state and turn situation around positively than yourself, Gbagi.’
“After those things he had told me, I said to Chief James Ibori, look all these good things that you have told me, tell them to Governor Okowa and he said to me, ‘Take my word for it, I will tell the governor that you are the next governor or nothing else.’ Chief James Ibori will not deny himself, I say it the way it is.
“And when I met Chief Ibori recently in Abuja, he said to me that many people think we are enemies but they do not understand,” Gbagi asserted. More than a week after the Gbagi bolt from the blue went viral, Ibori was yet to react his claim.”
(VANGUARD)
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Politics
Edo PDP Knocks Okpebholo Over ₦2.5b Donation To UBTH
Published
2 days agoon
August 27, 2025By
Editor
Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the approval of ₦2.5 billion to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital by Governor Monday Okpebholo.
The Governor announced the approval on Tuesday when the new Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Idia Ize-Iyamu, paid a courtesy visit to him in Government House, Benin.
Ize-Iyamu had requested the state government’s assistance in constructing a world-class Paediatric Centre worth N2.5 billion which the governor approved.
However, the PDP, in a statement by its Caretaker Committee Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare said the governor should have invested the money on state-owned hospitals instead of a federal institution.
READ ALSO:He Could Barely Garner 300,000 Votes, Yet Promising Tinubu 2.5m Votes, PDP Mocks Okpehbolo
The statement statement partly reads, “This misadventure is not only reckless but a glaring example of the 2027 election fixation and desperate eye-service politics that has defined Okpebholo’s almost one year in office.
“Edo people are being made to suffer while their resources are squandered on federal facilities that are not the primary responsibility of the state.
“We align with the position of the Association of Resident Doctors under Edo State Government Employment, who have openly decried this misplaced priority. Their statement exposes what Edo people already know, our hospitals are collapsing, yet the Governor prefers to chase cheap popularity.”
The PDP said that Stella Obasanjo Hospital, which was rebuilt with state funds, remained locked with less than a tenth in use, wondering why the ₦2.5 billion was not channelled there.
READ ALSO:JUST IN: Okpehbolo Suspends His Special Adviser On Oil And Gas
The statement added, “The Edo Specialist Hospital continues to cry for expansion and adequate support but has been ignored by a government obsessed with pleasing political benefactors and seeking headlines.
“The General Hospital in Abudu is no more than a mere patent medicine store, and yet, ‘₦2.5 billion that belongs to Odogwu is being given to Caesar.”
The PDP also noted that Edo doctors, who only recently suspended their strike, still have their legitimate demands unmet.
“Edo people obviously did not elect a Governor to act as a philanthropist to federal institutions. They elected a leader to fix our hospitals, build capacity, and ensure access to healthcare for all. By neglecting this sacred duty, Okpebholo has shown that he is unprepared, unserious, and out of touch with the realities of Edo citizens.
READ ALSO:Edo Govt Demolishes Building Owned by Suspected Cultist
“We in the PDP demand that this decision be reversed and that urgent attention be given to Edo-owned hospitals which directly serve our people. Edo deserves working hospitals, not political monuments built with eyes on the 2027 elections.
“This is not leadership. This is a reckless waste. And Edo people will not forget,” the statement added.
Efforts to get the government’s response proved futile, as a top official, who pleaded anonymity, said that a response will come on Thursday.

The Peoples Democratic Party’s 102nd National Executive Committee meeting has resolved to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South while retaining the existing National Working Committee zoning formula for the November elective convention.
Addressing journalists after the NEC meeting in Abuja on Monday, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, disclosed that the decision followed the presentation of a report by the Zoning Committee chaired by Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri.
Recall that during the 2023 elections, the PDP threw its presidential ticket open, leading to the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its candidate.
However, some southern leaders, led by then Rivers State Governor and now FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, opposed him over what they saw as an unfair power-sharing arrangement for the South.
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In the end, the PDP candidate lost to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress.
After declaring the zoning arrangement, Ologunagba added that the NEC also expressed satisfaction over the level of preparedness of the PDP’s various organs, Chapters and structures for the 2025 Elective National Convention scheduled for Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital on Saturday 15th to Sunday 16th November 2025.
Ologunagba, while reading the 102nd NEC communiqué, said the meeting commended the efforts of PDP governors, Board of Trustees, NWC, National Assembly caucus, and other party organs toward the success of the 2025 National Convention.
The communique read in part, “NEC received and after extensive deliberation approved the report of the National Convention Zoning Committee which recommended that all PDP National Office positions currently in the Northern Region of the country remain in the Northern Region.
READ ALSO:Anenih’s Son Dumps PDP, Gives Reason
“That all PDP National Office positions currently in the Southern Region of the country remain in the Southern Region.
“That having retained the position of the National Chairman in the Northern Region of the country, the Presidential Candidate of the Party for the 2027 General Election is hereby zoned to the Southern Region.
“That the Regions should immediately micro-zone positions within its Region for implementation.
“NEC also received an update from the PDP Constitution Amendment Committee and directed the Committee to circulate the Draft Constitution Amendment to various Organs and Chapters of the Party for further inputs.”
Ologunagba said NEC confirmed Umar Damagum as substantive National Chairman, effective Monday, August 25, 2025, in recognition of his role in stabilising the party, pending the National Convention.
READ ALSO:PDP Announces National Convention Zoning Committee Inauguration Date
He continued, “NEC condemns the resort by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to State Capture through state-backed intimidation, manipulation, inducement, coercion and violence against Nigerians as witnessed in APC’s muzzling of the recent bye-elections in parts of the country.
“NEC particularly expressed dismay and condemned the militarisation of the recent bye-elections especially in Kaduna and Taraba States as well as Zamfara State where excessive security agencies were deployed in the conduct of the run-off election in only five Polling Units in Kaura Namoda South State Constituency.
“NEC declares that this action by the APC is a confirmation of the APC’s desire to turn our country into a totalitarian One-Party State which is a clear and present danger to democracy and the corporate existence of our country.
“NEC reassures Nigerians of PDP’s commitment to Democracy and the defense of the interest and well-being of all citizens as we work hard to further reposition our Party to regain power in 2027.”
Politics
Why APC Candidates Contested 2023 LG Election Despite Intimidation — State Chairman
Published
4 days agoon
August 25, 2025By
Editor
The Edo State Chairman
of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jarret Tenebe, has explained why his party did not boycott the 2023 local government council election in the state despite intimidation and obvious efforts to compromise the exercise by the then government.
He said the party allowed its candidates to contest the local government election in order to gather momentum for the governorship election which was some months away as at then.
Tenebe spoke on Monday when he received the chairmanship candidates of the APC in that election at the party secretariat, Benin City, where he assured them that their labour would not be in vain.
He commended them for their determination, confidence and belief in the party despite being in an opposition at that time contesting against an incumbent government led by former governor Godwin Obaseki.
READ ALSO: Why Peter Obi Must Get Security Clearance Before Coming To Edo — APC Chair, Tenebe
Tenebe said “People never believed that APC should contest that election but I believed that we should enable us to gather momentum for the governorship election which was coming then.
“Consultations began with party leaders and we all later agreed that the party should contest that election which was keenly contested.
“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under Godwin Obaseki wrote the results of that election.
“You people did your best in the election and campaigned vigorously for senator Monday Okpebholo to win the governorship election in the state.
READ ALSO:Opposition Will Collapse In Edo Before 2027, Says Okpebholo
“You work hard to ensure APC win the governorship election as that is the only way your stolen mandate will be returned.
“The party will stand with you and not allow your labour to be in vain. The party will not allow you to work alone as the party will work with you. The governor is very much aware of your support”.
Speaking on behalf of the candidates, Enahoro Aikpokpo said they contested at a very difficult time to keep the party alive despite the intimidation and challenges they faced.
He called on the party to consider them and give them the right of first refusal as they are interested in the forthcoming local government election in the states.
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